Simulation of oil spills near environmentally sensitive areas in Egyptian coastal waters

Oil spills in Egyptian coastal waters have a direct impact on the national economy because of the potential environmental damage, and the corresponding negative effect on tourism. Computer simulations of oil spills were performed for four environmentally sensitive areas along Egyptian coasts using an existing oil spill model that incorporates the important variables and processes affecting oil transport in seawater. The expected slick trajectory and variation of oil properties with time were calculated for a proposed spill scenario at each site. Water current maps, the most critical model input parameter with respect to spill trajectory, were developed for each location. The simulations demonstrated that the most important oil property affecting spill response decisions and operations is the emulsion viscosity, in that it indicates when, where, and how responders can intervene for cleanup.     

Spatial and temporal trends of petroleum hydrocarbons in wild mussels from the Galician coast (NW Spain) affected by the Prestige oil spill

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined in tissues of wild mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from the Galicia coast (NW Spain) in order to assess the extent of the environmental impact caused by the Prestige oil spill (November 13, 2002). Three sampling campaigns were carried out in February, June and November 2003 at 24 stations along the Galicia coast, from La Guardia (Pontevedra) to Ribadeo (Lugo). The spatial distribution of PAHs found in the first sampling period, clearly revealed the central area (Costa da Morte) as the most affected by the oil spill. In these stations, concentrations up to 7780 microg/kg dw of the sum of 13 parent PAHs were found 2-3 months after the spill. Molecular parameters within the aliphatic and aromatic fractions confirmed the presence of the Prestige oil in these samples. The levels markedly decreased at most of the stations in the second sampling and recovered to levels found before the spill in November 2003, 1 year after the accident (29-279 microg/kg dw, av. 133+/-83 microg/kg dw). However, a certain increase was observed in some sites which could be related to the remobilization of oil residues from still unclean intertidal spots or sediments due to the winter marine weather conditions.     

Toxic effects of some major polyaromatic hydrocarbons found in crude oil and aquatic sediments on Scenedesmus subspicatus

The green alga, Scenedesmus subspicatus was exposed for 7 days to a series of PAHs (polyaromatic hydrocarbons) of increased molecular weight from two to five rings [naphthalene (Nap), anthracene (Ant), phenanthrene (Phe), pyrene (Pyr) and benzo(a)pyrene (BaP)]. The toxicity measured as population growth inhibition by individual PAH to the S. subspicatus followed the order: BaP>Pyr>Ant>Phe>Nap. These results confirmed that the toxicity potential of PAHs seems to be strongly influenced by their physico-chemical properties (aqueous solubility, K(ow), coefficient of volatilization, etc.) and the conditions of algae culture (light, presence of nitrate ions, etc.). Consequently, Nap, Phe and Ant having low k(ow) values and low coefficient of volatilization values were less toxic than BaP with the highest k(ow) value, indicating for example why Nap with the lowest EC(50) value was nearly 2 x 10(5) times lower than that of BaP. Moreover, nitrate ions seemed to act directly on the degree of hydroxylated radical reactivity of PAHs, since BaP always remained the most toxic of the compounds tested. The results were also agreed with the QSAR model for toxicity prediction of PAHs to many aquatic organisms.     

砂卵石地层盾构施工引发的滞后地面塌陷机理

针对砂卵石地层盾构施工地面突发塌陷频发的情况,结合成都地铁1、2号线地面塌陷实例,研究了盾构施工引发的滞后地面塌陷机理;分析了砂卵石地层地质条件,利用大型三轴剪切试验获得其力学特性;选用颗粒离散元法进行数值计算,通过三轴数值试验标定了土体的细观参数;通过数值计算模拟了开挖面失稳和空洞向地表移动.研究结果表明,当开挖面支护压力较小时,位移大于0.1m的颗粒接触力极低,该区域的土体孔隙率变大、力学性质也降低,该区域是开挖面失稳区,掘进过后将在盾构上方形成空洞;砂卵石层开挖面上方土体成拱作用明显,即使土层内部形成空洞,也不会立刻引起地面塌陷,这是地面滞后塌陷的重要原因.     

Health risk assessment for traffic policemen exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Tianjin, China

In China, traffic policemen have to stand for several hours a day at the road intersections with high vehicle flows. To assess their exposure to airborne carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) during their working time, a preliminary study was conducted to measure the personal exposure level to PAHs. And a probabilistic incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) model together with the benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) toxic equivalents (BaP(eq)) method was used to conduct health risk assessment. Personal exposure monitors (PEM) were carried by traffic policemen to collect PM10 samples during their daily work in Tianjin, China. Meanwhile, PM100 samples were collected at the roadsides and on campus of Nankai University as comparison. PAHs species were quantitatively analyzed by GC/MS. Experimental results showed that the concentrations of total PAHs, BaP and BaP(eq) were much higher at the road intersections (867.5, 26.2, 82.4 ng m(-3)), where the traffic policemen stand during their work time, than those at the roadsides (46.6, 1.5, 5.7 ng m(-3)), and on campus (19.5, 0.7, 2.4 ng m(-3)). According to the risk assessment results, the occupational risk falls within the range from 10(-6) to 10(-3). On the basis of sensitivity analysis results, further research should be directed to give better characterization of the yearly concentration distribution of PAHs and the cancer slope factor (CSF) of BaP in order to improve the accuracy of the health risk assessment.     

Emission of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and lead during Chinese mid-autumn festival

The emission factors of total particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), BaP-equivalent doses (BaP(eq)) and Pb for burning three kinds of charcoal were investigated in this study: fast-lighting charcoal, Taiwanese, and Indonesian charcoal (the latter two of which are not fast-lighting). Compared to the burning of Taiwanese and Indonesian charcoal, the burning of fast-lighting charcoal can emit much larger amounts of total PAHs, BaP(eq) and Pb into the atmosphere. The emission factors of total PAHs, BaP and BaP(eq) for broiling meat were noticeably higher than those for broiling vegetables and non-fish seafood. When using Indonesian charcoal to broil meat, the total emission factors of particulate PAHs and BaP were about 15.7 and 0.39 mg/kg, respectively. The total amounts of particulate PAHs and Pb emitted from cookouts during Mid-Autumn Festival were 2881 and 120 g, respectively. Total PAHs and BaP(eq) in PM(10) aerosols on Mid-Autumn Festival nights increased about 1.6 and 1.5 times, respectively, higher than those on non-festival nights. The mean concentration of Pb on the nights of Mid-Autumn Festival increases to about 2.8 times that of non-festival nights.     

大粒径卵漂石地层盾构破岩机理及工程应用

盾构法在地下工程中应用广泛,但其技术系统具有极强的地层适应性差异,需要针对特殊地层进行专门设计。大粒径卵漂石地层是盾构法的世界禁区,迄今为止,国内外适用该种地层的技术系统和成功的工程案例较少。根据大粒径卵漂石地层的力学特征及空间分布规律,采用理论分析与现场验证相结合的手段与方法,系统研究重型刀具与大粒径卵漂石的相互作用机理及盾构开挖过程中刀具与地层的能量传递原理,基于能量原理提出重型刀具的劈裂破岩机理。基于应力波传播理论及黎金格新表面理论,提出盾构在富含超大粒径卵漂石地层中的破岩机理--阻尼环境下重型刀具锤击劈裂破岩;相应推导破岩所需的最小扭矩,为盾构机刀盘装备扭矩选取提供依据;在北京地铁九号线06标“军事博物馆站-东钓鱼台站”盾构区间工程中得到验证,并获得成功应用。研究结果对指导盾构选型、盾构隧道施工及反馈设计具有重要理论与实际意义。     

不同含水率砂卵石围岩宏细观力学特性研究

含水率对具有颗粒物质性质的隧道砂卵石围岩稳定性有较大影响,通过室内大型三轴试验与颗粒离散元数值三轴试验相结合的方法,对中密状态下不同含水率砂卵石围岩在100、200、300 kPa三种围压下的宏细观力学特性展开研究,分析了含水率对隧道砂卵石围岩宏细观力学参数影响规律。研究结果表明:随着含水率的增加,砂卵石围岩的应力峰值、内摩擦角和粘聚力均随之减小;砂卵石围岩变形破坏时轴向应变约为4%,其应力峰值后仍可承受较大的应力特性;确定了中密状态时不同含水率砂卵石围岩的接触模量、摩擦系数、颗粒刚度比、法向接触强度等离散元细观参数。研究成果为砂卵石地层隧道围岩稳定性离散元精细化模拟提供理论依据。     

Acute effects of Benzo[a]pyrene, anthracene and a fuel oil on biomarkers of the common goby Pomatoschistus microps (Teleostei, Gobiidae)

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of two different PAHs and a complex petrochemical mixture on the common goby, Pomatoschistus microps, using selected biomarkers as effect criteria. Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) and anthracene were used as reference substances, while the water accommodated fraction of #4 fuel-oil (#4 WAF) was used as an example of a petrochemical mixture. P. microps was used since it is both a suitable bioindicator and a good test organism. Groups of fish were exposed to different concentrations of each of the test substances for 96 h and the activities of several enzymes commonly used as biomarkers were determined at the end of the bioassays. All the substances inhibited P. microps acetylcholinesterase (AChE) indicating that they have at least one mechanism of neurotoxicity in common: the disruption of cholinergic transmission by inhibition of AChE. An induction of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity was found in fish exposed to BaP or to anthracene, suggesting an increase of the anaerobic pathway of energy production. On the contrary, inhibition of LDH was found in fish exposed to #4 WAF, suggesting a distinct effect of the mixture. An induction of P. microps glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity was found in fish exposed to BaP or to #4 WAF, while an inhibition was observed after exposure to anthracene. These results suggest that GST is involved in the detoxification of BaP and #4 WAF, but not of anthracene. All the substances increased catalase activity and isolated PAHs also increased superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase and glutathione peroxidase activities, while #4 WAF did not cause significant alterations on these enzymes. These results suggest that all the substances may induce oxidative stress on P. microps, with BaP and anthracene apparently having more oxidative stress potential than #4 WAF.     

压缩空气泡沫炮系统扑救特高压换流变压器全液面溢油火灾试验研究

为解决特高压换流变压器火灾较难扑救的技术难题,提出了一种压缩空气泡沫炮系统扑救换流变压器全液面溢油火灾试验方法,采用1∶1全尺寸特高压换流变压器实体火模型,通过设置高温热油、全液面溢油火灾等不利灭火条件,研究了压缩空气泡沫炮系统扑救全液面溢油火灾的有效性。结果表明：在48 L/s泡沫溶液流量下,压缩空气泡沫炮系统灭火时间为210 s,供泡6 min即可将高温变压器油温降至100oC以下;灭火过程中,左侧事故油池因预燃时间较长、变压器油温度较高,其灭火时间最长,而压缩空气泡沫炮能够快速冷却降低箱壁温度,阻止溢油汽化,有效扑灭溢油火。     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in dustfall in Tianjin, China

Atmospheric dustfall samples from 23 locations in Tianjin, China, were collected and analyzed for 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) classified by the Environmental Protection Agency as priority pollutants from March 2002 to March 2003. SigmaPAH16 (sum of 16 PAH compounds) concentrations in the dustfall collected during heating season ranged from 2.5 to 85.5 mug/g, while that during the non-heating season varied from 1.0 to 48.2 microg/g dry weight. The dominant components in the heating season included naphthalene, phenanthrene, fluoranthene, and chrysene, while naphthalene, fluorene, phenanthrene, and fluoranthene were dominant during the non-heating season. Compared with the non-heating season, the heating season was characterized by a higher fraction of high-molecular-weight PAHs with four to six rings with exception of the samples from the east industrial area. The east industrial area had more significant correlations between individual PAH compounds, and more discrete triangular components of three-, four-, five- and six-ring PAHs. No significant correlations were observed between the PAHs concentrations and total organic carbon (TOC) in the dustfall samples. The deposition fluxes of sigmaPAH15 (sum of 15 PAHs except naphthalene), sigmaPAH6 (sum of 6 carcinogenic PAHs recommended by IARC) and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) from atmospheric deposition to the whole area were estimated as 1911, 196, and 53 microg/m2/year, respectively. The deposition rates for PAH compounds in the east industrial area were higher than those in the urban and rural areas. Furthermore, the deposition contribution of PAHs during domestic heating season in winter was not significant relative to the annual inputs.     

Carcinogenic effects of some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on the Japanese medaka and guppy in waterborne exposures

In this paper, we review studies on the carcinogenic effects of two polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) and 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA), on the Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) and the guppy (Poecilia reticulata). Exposure media were prepared by adding PAHs to water, with and without dimethylformamide (DMF) as a carrier, and passing this solution through various sized filters. The low exposure medium was a 0.45 micron filtrate without DMF that contained less than 5 micrograms L-1 PAH. The intermediate medium was a DMF-mediated 0.45 micron filtrate which contained 30-50 micrograms L-1 of PAH. The high medium was a DMF-mediated glass-fibre filtrate which contained 150-250 micrograms L-1 of PAH. Young fish specimens (6-10 d old) were given a 6 h exposure once weekly for 2 to 4 wk. Both BaP and DMBA induced hepatic neoplasms in the two species, with the medaka being more sensitive than the guppy, and DMBA being a stronger carcinogen than BaP. Liver neoplasms almost exclusively developed after exposure to BaP and the neoplasms were limited to the high concentration exposure, whereas DMBA caused a substantial number of extrahepatic neoplasms as well as hepatic ones, especially in the medaka. Furthermore, all three concentrations of DMBA induced hepatic neoplasms in the medaka and all but the low concentration induced neoplasms in the guppy. These studies demonstrate the carcinogenic effects of two waterborne PAHs on two small fish species following brief exposures to very low concentrations, and support the contention that environmental PAHs can contribute to the occurrence of cancer in wild fishes.     

高密度电法在卵石覆盖区中的应用研究

在卵石覆盖区进行工程地质勘察主要有以下几种方法：地质钻探、折射波勘探、面波勘探和高密度电法。其中,地质钻探因为成孔难,所以勘探深度很有限;另外由于地震波在卵石覆盖区中的能量衰减非常快,因此折射波勘探和面波勘探效果也不佳。鉴于此,本文介绍了高密度电法原理,并从正演模拟出发,研究了高密度电法在卵石覆盖区进行工程勘察的可行性,并给出了两个应用实例。实践表明：高密度电法在勘察基岩面深度及起伏形态方面效果较好。     

成都中心城区砂卵石层三维建模及分布规律研究

为解决成都市在高富水砂卵石层中施工引起的地面迟滞沉降等城市工程地质问题,研究成都市砂卵石分布规律,笔者依托已有的成都地铁1、2、3、4、7号线等大量的勘察及区域地质资料,借助Surfer及GOCAD软件,首次建立了成都市中心城区砂卵石层的三维地质模型。三维模型的准确度及精度经过了探井等实测资料的验证,成都中心城区砂卵石层整体厚度由西北向东南逐渐减薄,稍密卵石土层变化平缓,中密卵石土层由北向南沿河流走向变薄特征明显,密实卵石土层底界与基岩接触面深度自西向东逐渐变浅,中心城区卵石土的总体积超过1.757 6×10⁸ m³。构建的三维地质模型,可为成都市中心城区今后的工程建设提供重要参考。     

Acetylcholinesterase activity in seabirds affected by the Prestige oil spill on the Galician coast (NW Spain)

In November 2002, the tanker Prestige broke in two and sank at the bottom of the ocean spilling about 70,000 t of fuel oil, which reached the coast of Galicia. It was considered the largest spill in maritime history, greatly affecting marine and related avian species. The spilled fuel oil contained high concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Many species were affected and were found dead, although ongoing research is still being carried out on the sublethal effects. In this sense, little is known about the action of PAHs on Cholinesterase activity in seabirds. Consequently, the purpose of this study was to provide more information on the neurotoxicity of fuel oil on the seabirds most affected by the Prestige accident: common guillemot, Atlantic puffin and razorbill. On the other hand, data on normal values of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity were obtained to supply non-exposed values in seabirds. The oil spill produced a clear inhibitory effect on brain AChE activity in common guillemot (16%, p< or =0.01) and razorbill (22%, p< or =0.01), but not in Atlantic puffin (4%). Physiological levels of brain AChE, expressed in nmol acetylcholine hydrolysed min(-1) mg(-1) protein were similar in non-exposed common guillemot (388.6+/-95.0) and Atlantic puffin (474.0+/-60.7), however, razorbill values were higher (644.6+/-66.9).     

Household air pollution and personal exposure risk of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons among rural residents in Shanxi,China

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a group of pollutants of widespread concerns. Gaseous and size‐segregated particulate‐phase PAHs were collected in indoor and outdoor air in rural households. Personal exposure was measured and compared to the ingestion exposure. The average concentrations of 28 parent PAHs and benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) were 9000 ± 8390 and 131 ± 236 ng/m³ for kitchen, 2590 ± 2270 and 43 ± 95 ng/m³ for living room, and 2800 ± 3890 and 1.6 ± 0.7 ng/m³ for outdoor air, respectively. The mass percent of high molecular weight (HMW) compounds with 5–6 rings contributed 1.3% to total 28 parent PAHs. Relatively higher fractions of HMW PAHs were found in indoor air compared to outdoor air. Majorities of particle‐bound PAHs were found in the finest PM_0.25, and the highest levels of fine PM_0.25‐bound PAHs were in the kitchen using peat and wood as energy sources. The 24‐h personal PAH exposure concentration was 2100 ± 1300 ng/m³. Considering energies, exposures to those using wood were the highest. The PAH inhalation exposure comprised up to about 30% in total PAH exposure through food ingestion and inhalation, and the population attributable fraction (PAF) for lung cancer in the region was 0.85%. The risks for inhaled and ingested intakes of PAHs were 1.0 × 10^?5 and 1.1 × 10^?5, respectively.     

Application of in situ dialysis cultures in studies of phytotoxicity of north sea crude oils

The three marine planktonic diatoms Skeletonema costatum (clone Skel-5), Thalassiosira pseudonana (clone 3H) and Phaeodactylum tricornutum (clone Pheo) were grown in dialysis cultures in outdoor tanks exposed to seawater extracts of Ekofisk and Statfjord crude oils and to sea water collected below an artificial oil spill with Statfjord crude oil at Haltenbanken.The effects on growth rate and photosynthetic capacity were similar to those observed in laboratory batch cultures, and so was the difference in sensitivity among the algae, with Skeletonema being the most sensitive species.The in situ dialysis culture technique served well as a link between the laboratory and the field situations, and may be used as a monitor of phytotoxic effects in an oil spill situation.     

Osmoregulation of the resident estuarine fish Atherinella brasiliensis was still affected by an oil spill (Vicuña tanker, Paranaguá Bay, Brazil), 7 months after the accident

An oil tanker loaded with methanol and bunker oil has exploded in November 2004 in Paranaguá Bay, in front of Paranaguá Harbor, southern Brazil. In order to investigate the chronic effects of an oil spill on a resident estuarine fish, the Brazilian silverside Atherinella brasiliensis was sampled 1, 4, and 7 months after the spill, from 2 sites inside Paranaguá Bay, and also from a reference site inside nearby Guaratuba Bay, non-affected by the spill. Increases in plasma osmolality (reaching ~ 525 mOsm/kg H₂O, or ~ 70% above values in reference fish) and chloride (reaching 214 mM in site C, or ~ 51% above values in reference fish) were detected 4 months after the spill, in parallel with branchial carbonic anhydrase inhibition (to 56% of the activity measured in reference fish) in silversides obtained from the contaminated sites. Plasma cortisol concentration increased progressively in samples from fish obtained 4 (462 ng/mL) and 7 (564-650 ng/mL) months after the spill, when compared to values in reference fish (192 ng/mL). Osmoregulation of a resident estuarine fish is still affected by an oil spill, months after the accident. It is, thus, a sensitive tool for the evaluation of the chronic effects of oil spills inside tropical estuarine systems, and A. brasiliensis is proposed as an adequate sentinel species for monitoring protocols.     

Numerical simulation of oil spill for the Three Gorges Reservoir in China

The water body is just like a quasi‐static fluid after the impoundment of the Three Gorges Reservoir in China to 175 m water level in late 2010. In this paper, fluid dynamic model and numerical method were presented to analyse its dynamic characteristic. Then, based on an oil spill model coupled with the hydrodynamic model, the oil fractions evolvement with time as well as the recovery process with emergency actions under oil spills were numerically simulated and illustrated in the Three Gorges Reservoir. Emergency actions were accordingly analysed based on the simulated pollution area and density, by which a decay parameter was additionally brought into the simulation to understand the recovery of polluted area. The simulated results could be an aid for better emergency response strategy in case of oil spill accidents in the Three Gorges Reservoir in China.     

Acute toxicity of crude and dispersed oil to Octopus pallidus (Hoyle, 1885) hatchlings

There is an increasing risk of a major oil spill in Australian waters over the next 20 years but there have been few studies on the impact of oil spills, and subsequent remedial action, on native Australian fauna. Octopus pallidus is a native Australian octopus species found in south-eastern Australia. The aim of the experiment was to investigate the effects of acute exposure to crude and dispersed crude oil and 4-chlorophenol (a reference toxicant) on recently hatched O. pallidus by calculating the 48-h LC50. Water-accommodated fraction (WAF) of Bass Strait crude oil was prepared using a ratio of one part crude oil to nine parts filtered seawater and mixing for 23 h. Dispersed-WAF was prepared using a ratio of one part Corexit 9527 to 50 parts crude oil and an oil to water ratio of one to nine and mixing for 23 h. Mean (SE) 48 h LC50 values were 0.39 (0.04), 1.83 (0.64) and 0.89 (0.08) ppm for WAF, dispersed-WAF and 4 chlorophenol, respectively. These results demonstrate that addition of the chemical dispersant Corexit 9527 to WAF does not increase the toxicity of WAF to O. pallidus hatchlings.